A Different Start
by Secret-Telling
Summary: Starting from the pilot. Just a different reaction from Emma when Henry says his "life sucks!" It's been in my head for a while now and I thought it could change a lot of things if Emma had said something to Henry right away about how much his life didn't really suck. Basically it's just Emma giving Henry a reality check and kind of siding with Regina. Pretty sure it's a one-shot.


**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: So this idea has been in my head for a while. It's from the first episode of Season 1 (yes the pilot). I could never get it out of my head how Henry complained that his life sucked. I know when we're kids we all have those moments where we think that way, but it just struck me as he had no idea what he was talking about. This is what I thought should have happened if Emma had responded in a different way to that statement. It changes more than a few things in my eyes and in this small story. Hope you like it and sorry for this AN being so long! Enjoy!**

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"My life sucks!"

"Really? Your life sucks?" Emma shouted back and then took a breath to control the anger that wanted to come up. She looked the kid up and down as she sized him up.

"Tell me something kid, have you ever gone hungry?"

Henry's face scrunched up in confusion at the question and then he shook his head. "No."

"Have you always had clothes that fit you? That kept you warm?"

"Yes." He answered again in confusion.

"Always brand new too, right?" This one was more of a statement than a question. Henry crossed his arms defiantly, but couldn't meet her gaze.

"Ever have to wonder where your home was? If you would have a roof over your head or a bed to sleep in?" He looked down now and didn't say a word. Emma couldn't help herself and continued on at his silence, "What about when you had a nightmare or were sick? Did your mom just leave you there to suffer or did she make it better? Tell me, Henry, if she is so evil, how could she do all of that for you?"

He finally met her gaze at the use of his name and Emma could see that he hadn't thought of all of that at all. It was like he had only saw what he had read in that book and believed it implicitly. No doubt that she had to be evil. She wondered for a moment what could have brought all of this on. She squatted low so that she was level with his height.

"Has she ever hurt you?" Emma said in all seriousness. This was a serious issue and if Regina was abusing Henry than she could understand. She didn't get that vibe from Henry or Regina but sometimes even the most observant people could miss that.

Henry shook his head quickly though, "No, no she's never hurt me like that."

Emma let a small breath of relief out, but she felt more confused than ever. Where was all of this coming from? Did he really believe that his mom didn't care for him?

"Listen, kid, sometimes parents aren't very good at showing their kids that they love them. Sometimes that can't say it or even really acknowledge it so it seems like they don't love you, but if you look a little closer. Look at everything she does for you, can you honestly tell me that she doesn't care about you? That she doesn't try and do what's best for you? Sometimes she might not be right, but doesn't she try?"

Henry stared at her for a long moment. He really didn't know what to say to any of this. All he knew was that his mom was kind of cold and she was strict. The whole town feared her and she could be mean to the townspeople sometimes, but…but she had never hurt him. She did always make him feel better when he was sick. She did tuck him back in after a nightmare and stayed until he fell asleep again. She did always try to do what was best for him, but she was the evil queen wasn't she? If she was the evil queen, why did she treat him so well?

"I-I…she…" He couldn't find the words and didn't know exactly what to say. Emma put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently.

"Now, I know things can be rough sometimes and we can feel all alone, but you have something really special here. You have a mom who cares about you so much and is trying to do right by you. In my book, that's gotta count for something."

"But she's the evil queen." He said not so convincingly anymore. He didn't sound as confident as when he first told her. She sighed in exasperation, he was stubborn, he really must be her kid.

"Ok, let's say she was this evil queen from your storybook, have you ever seen her act like this evil queen? Has she been killing people? Putting people under curses? Has she been terrorizing Snow White? Trying to get her heart?" Emma asked him. If it were possible, Henry's frown deepened more.

"Well, she kinda just stays as far away from Snow White as she can actually." He scratched his head in thought and couldn't really come up with anything that she had done that was truly evil like in his storybook.

"Maybe, just maybe Henry, the evil queen came to Storybrooke, Maine to not be evil anymore. Have you ever thought about that? Maybe she just wants to be happy and can you imagine how special that makes you that, you turned the evil queen into a regular, old, soccer mom. Are you sure you're not the savior?" She gave him a rueful smile that he didn't return as he thought over her words.

"But even if she's happy, which I don't think she really is, no one else is. How can it be right, if everyone else is cursed?"

"Are they really unhappy? Were they any happier in the other place they were at? It's really hard to blame just one person for everyone's unhappiness, isn't it?"

Another question he didn't know the answer to. Emma could tell that he had a lot to think about so didn't push it any further. She hoped she at least helped him realize that maybe his life wasn't as bad as he thought it was. She stood back up and gave him a thin smile, "Come on, kid, I have to get you home. You're mom's been worried about you since she realized you went missing. Again."

He looked up at her and nodded. He followed her slowly and Emma really wasn't going to say anything else, but there was just one more thing that was bothering her, "I think you owe your mom an apology when we get back kid."

His head whipped around to her in surprise and a little bit of betrayal, "What? Why?"

"Because you ran away, not only once but twice. Do you know how much you worried her? She didn't know where you were for a whole day. Anything could have happened to you. You got lucky that nothing bad happened to you because honestly kid you were in a big city with a lot of bad people in it. And I know for a fact that you saw her face last night when she came rushing back to you, she was relieved and happy that you were back."

Henry snapped his mouth shut after it had been hanging open at Emma's words. He didn't want to feel ashamed or guilty about his actions but he knew everything she said was the truth. But he had been trying to help. He was just trying to bring the Savior to Storybrooke so that she could save everyone. He really didn't think about being hurt or anything bad happening to him while he was out on his mission. He just knew he had to bring Emma here. She needed to be here. She just didn't understand. She didn't understand what was at stake.

The ride back to the mayor's house was a quiet one and Emma didn't know what else or if she should say anything more. Maybe it was for the best.

Regina watched as Henry and Miss Swan came up the walkway for the second time in the same number of days. She couldn't believe the blonde found him. The town wasn't even that big, what was the sheriff doing? She watched as her son didn't even acknowledge her as he walked up to the house and was almost past her when the blonde spoke up, "Hey kid, isn't there something you wanted to tell your mom?"

Regina raised her eyebrow curiously at the blonde's tone. She didn't like that it sounded almost like a mom, but she was more interested in what she was talking about. Henry turned and looked at Miss Swan for a moment who gave him a piercing look and he turned reluctantly to her. He looked up at her and for the first time in a long time he looked a little bit guilty. Lately it had just been glares and distrustful glances.

"I'm sorry." He forced out and she was a little shocked at the statement and even more by Miss Swan's input.

"For?" the blonde asked. He huffed a little bit, but she could tell it was mostly for show. When he looked up at her, she could see that he really felt bad.

"For running away yesterday and today. For not telling you. I'm sorry I worried you. I didn't mean to. I just wanted to find her." He admitted to his feet. She found herself cupping his cheek and bringing his gaze to hers.

"I was so worried Henry. I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you. You do know that there is nothing more important to me than you, don't you?" she asked him honestly. He studied her with his eyes that seemed to always see right through her. She could never fool him and she hoped that he could see the truth in her statement.

"Yeah, I know mom. I'm sorry. I wasn't going to leave you though, I just needed to bring her here." he said earnestly and she gave him one of her rare true smiles. He had never intended on leaving her. That was a relief because lately she thought that if given the chance he would leave and never come back. The people she cared about most always tended to leave her. She couldn't help herself and pulled him into a tight hug, which he returned. Another surprise since he hadn't done that in a while either. Looking over her sons head she saw Miss Swan with her hands in her back pockets as she dutifully looked at anywhere other than the porch.

This woman that she was so sure was a threat did this. She didn't know how or why, but it was unexpected to think that she might just have an ally in the woman. She had sided with her. There was no other way that Henry would have apologized to her and so sincerely at that. No one had ever done that before. No one had ever stood up for her like that. She didn't know what to do with that. She was on uneven ground.

Eventually, but quicker than she liked Henry pulled away from her and continued his trek into the house. Regina noticed he had only given a fleeting glance to his birth mother, but that was it. Maybe the blonde woman wasn't all he had thought she would be. They both stood there studying each other and neither knowing what to say.

"Thank you." Regina finally spoke. She herself wasn't sure exactly what she was thanking the blonde for. Whether if it was for bringing her son home or for getting him to apologize, she didn't know.

"You're welcome. I'm sorry if I overstepped my bounds. He just…" Regina watched as she tried to find her words then those green eyes, she had thought they were blue, met her own and that feeling of being bare and open hit her, "…he doesn't know how lucky he is to have you."

The statement was not what she was expecting at all and by the tiny smirk that lit the blonde's face she was sure her face showed her surprise, "Don't get me wrong, I think you're a hardass, but like you said that doesn't make you a bad mom."

Regina couldn't help the smirk that came to her own face at the statement. She felt more on even ground at the levity, but her mind was still whirling at everything that had happened since this blonde, red leather jacket wearing woman came barreling into her life. This woman who even dared to joke with her. No one had done that in years. It almost felt like she could be a…friend. Regina had never had one of those. Not really. She found herself again not knowing what to do, but also feeling like she didn't want to lose this. Whatever it was.

"Miss Swan, would you like to stay for dinner?" Emma's eyebrows rose in surprise and Regina knew that her face showed the same thing. She didn't know where that came from, but she all of a sudden wanted to be in the blonde's presence for just a little while longer. Who knows, maybe the blonde could be useful and if not then she could run her out of town later. She had time to work out what her plans should be. Emma hadn't replied yet and only years of training kept Regina from fidgeting.

"Ummm…really?" Emma finally said and Regina couldn't help the small smile that came unbidden to her lips. It was more of a twitch than anything else but the blonde caught it and gave her own thin smile back.

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't mean it, dear." Emma's smile grew at her reply.

"In that case, count me in." Emma started walking towards the door that Regina held open for her to enter her house. "If your food is as good as your cider I might have to crash here for the night."

Regina's grip tightened on the door and she would have snapped if not for the smirk and mischievousness that she caught in the blonde's eyes. She was joking with her. Regina was most definitely not used to this.

"Don't press your luck, Miss Swan." Regina's lip curled slightly at the start of a sneer and Emma's smirk lessened slightly but it was still there. She wasn't scared of her. She didn't know whether to be annoyed or relieved. It was most definitely refreshing. It had been years since she had this much…fun? It was different that was for sure.

"Wouldn't dream of it, your majesty." Regina's mouth dropped open slightly at the audacity and then the blonde winked. She actually winked, like it was some inside joke they were sharing. Oh, Emma Swan, would be an interesting adversary, she had no doubt of that now. She just hoped it wouldn't cost her, her son. She had a feeling that it wouldn't though. For the first time in a long time he had a strange feeling that things were going to be changing and for once it might just be for the better.

At that moment in town square the small hand of the old clock tower moved for the first time in twenty-eight years.

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**AN: Hope you liked it! I'm sure it's been done before but this was just my version. Pretty sure it's just a one-shot. Thanks for reading!**


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